A/N: Hello there! well, here's a new chapter, and I have to warn you, Neji will be VERY out of character in this chapter.

disclaimer: Why do this everytime? it's never going to change... unless... I build a time machine! then I can go back in time and write Naruto on my own! YAY!

random thought: #Gaara comes running# I LOVE COWS! THEY SHALL RULE THE WORLD! #Gaara runs away#

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Neji was the first one to snap out of it. He hurried to Naruto's body and checked his pulse.

'It's weak, but it's there... Kyuubi, if you can hear me, then help him now!'

He picked Naruto up, and dashed to Konoha, using all his remaning Chakra to get to the Hokage's office.

The others tried to follow him, but he went too fast for them to catch up.

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It all happened so fast.

Hinata barely remembered seeing Neji brake down the door and run inside. He started shouting something to Tsunade-sama, and then they left to another room. After that, she only remembered seeing the still body of her crush-turned-son in Neji's arms, covered in blood. Then, everything went black.

She opened her eyes, and looked into Sasuke's worried ones. "Hinata-chan, can you hear me?" she heard him say. Her eyes filled with tears, and she pulled him into a hug and sobbed into his chest. He was startled at first, but then he hugged her back, rubbing her back and whispering sweet nothings to her.

She didn't know how long she had been crying, but she eventually calmed down and they just sat there, holding on to each other. A few minutes later, Neji walked into the room again, covered in Naruto's blood. He looked shaken, like he was about to cry.

It was then that they noticed that TenTen was still in the room. She whiped her own tears and hugged Neji. "Are you okay, Neji-kun?" she asked.

He shook his head and muttered "He shouldn't be alive..."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Neji looked at Sasuke. "He was attacked by a Chuunin, he set the gates on fire while trying to defend himself, he fell down ten feet, and the cave outside the gates collapsed on him."

Hinata and TenTen gasped softly, and Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"I hate to admit it, but I am grateful that Yondaime-sama sealed Kyuubi no Kitsune inside Naruto... if it wasn't for him, Naruto would have died." Neji finished with a broken whisper. Then, a tear slid down his cheek, and he bowed his head. TenTen wasted no time to wrap her arms around him before he completely broke down.

It was weird, seeing the once emotionless Hyuuga genius cry so openly. Not that it wasn't normal; Naruto had done wonders with Neji. Neji looked at Naruto as a younger brother, a comrade and a friend. A person had to work hard to gain that recognition.

TenTen brought Neji to the seats next to the Hokage's desk, and shed a few tears of her own.

The door opened, and Shikamaru and Gaara ran inside. They too looked shaken, but not as much as Neji.

"Where are Lee and the others?" TenTen asked.

Shikamaru sighed. "They brought Sakura to the hospital; she broke her fingers trying to dig Naruto up..."

Right at that moment, Tsunade walked inside, wearing a grim expression. "Tsunade-sama... how is he?" Hinata stood up and held Sasuke's hand.

Tsunade took a breath and smiled. "He's going to be fine... thanks to Yondaime-kun."

Hinata brought her hand to her heart and sighed softly. Sasuke squeezed her hand and smiled.

"How bad were his injuries?" Gaara suddenly asked. Tsunade stopped smiling.

"He fractured his spinal column, his skull almost broke in half, both his arms and legs are broken, and his ribs stabbed his lungs. In other words, much internal bleeding and he should be paralyzed." she whispered.

"Oh my god..." Hinata muttered. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her and she started to sob softly.

Tsunade felt really bad... in a way, it was her fault... if only she hadn't done this... if only Naruto would have been normal... Stupid Jiraiya... always right about everything! "Would you like to see him?" Sasuke nodded and they started to make their way to Tsunade. Just at that moment, Sakura came running into the room. She was crying, and her fingers were bandaged. Hinata snapped her head around to glare at her.

"How is he?" Sakura asked, with much concern. Tsunade smiled. "He'll make it." Sakura sighed happily and shed a few tears. "Where is he?" she asked, and Hinata lost it.

"You will not go near him." she growled and dropped into the Jyuuken stance.

"Hinata-chan! What are you thinking?" Sasuke said.

Sakura stared sadly at Hinata. "But Hinata-chan-"

"NO!" Hinata shouted. "This is YOUR fault! You did this to him! I will never forgive you, Sakura!" Hinata charged at Sakura, but Sasuke held her back. "Hinata-chan, stop it! She's not worth it!" he whispered in her ear. Hinata calmed down and disappeared through the door where Naruto was.

Sakura stared after Hinata and sighed. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun." she smiled softly, but Sasuke glared at her.

"I meant what I said, you're not worth it." he spat at her.

"But, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura started. Sasuke held up his hand to silence her. "You may have been our teammate, Sakura," He spat out her name as if it was covered with venom. "But I never want to see you near him again, ever. Am I clear?" Sakura stared at him for a moment, but nodded sadly. In her short time of being his teammate, she learned that nothing good ever came out of making Uchiha Sasuke angry. "Good." Sasuke turned around and left through the door where Hinata had gone.

Sakura stared at the door for a while, before turning around and leaving the office. Lee ran after her, but she had disappeared.

Tsunade sat down behind her desk and closed her eyes. "Everyone leave my office, except you, Gaara." They all left, and Gaara took a seat opposite Tsunade.

"What is it, Tsunade-hime?" Gaara asked.

"I want you too keep an eye on Naruto-chan while you are in Konoha... think of it as a favor I will repay you with someday." Tsunade crossed her arms and turned to the window behind her.

'Naruto-chan?' Gaara stared at her for a while, before nodding. "I will, Hokage-sama... I will." He stated, and left the office.

That simple sentence brought peace to her heart. Gaara would look after him.

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Hinata stared down at the boy who brought her out of her shell she had built when she was a child. And seeing him like this, covered in bandages from head to toe, made her feel so scared.

She sensed Sasuke entering the room, and walking to her. He stopped next to her, and put his arm around her waist, drawing her close. Hinata turned and pulled him into a hug, which he gladly returned. For a short moment, she felt safe. Her best friend, and newest crush, holding her so close. She stopped shaking, and sighed. "Sasuke-kun..." she whispered.

'kun?' Sasuke blinked. "Hai?"

Hinata pulled away to look into Sasuke's eyes. "I want to keep him safe...I want him to have a new life, where he'll never be lonely. But I can't do it alone..."

Sasuke stared at her for a moment, and smiled softly. "I want to help you, Hinata-chan...Will you let me?" He placed his hand on her cheek and wiped away a tear.

"Hai..." Hinata smiled back, and closed her eyes. Sasuke bent down and did something he had been dreaming of for such a long time...

He kissed her.

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A/N: I think I'll stop here... I'm getting too fluffy and dramatic here...

Please R/R! Reviewers get free digital doughnuts from me!